Business travel does not always have to begin and end with the meeting room.
If you are already travelling for work, adding a night or two for yourself can be a simple way to see more of a destination without arranging an entirely separate holiday. This is often called bleisure travel : combining business and leisure in the same trip.
It is becoming increasingly common. Around 42% of business travellers extend work trips for leisure, while 41% say they feel guilty about doing so, even when the extra time is outside their working hours. Research into bleisure travel and the growing conversation around bleisure guilt suggest that many people like the idea but still feel they need permission to enjoy it.
You do not need to feel guilty about making sensible use of your time. You simply need to plan the personal part clearly, keep work and leisure costs separate, and make sure the arrangements suit you.
Here are some practical ways to turn your next business trip into a mini holiday for 2026/27.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME
Add a weekend rather than rushing home
The easiest way to extend a business trip is often to add the weekend.
If your meetings finish on a Friday afternoon, staying until Sunday or Monday can give you enough time to experience the destination properly. You may have time for a museum, a long lunch, a local neighbourhood or simply a slower morning without checking your emails.
A weekend extension can work particularly well for European city breaks. A work trip to Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome or Copenhagen could become a short personal escape with only a small change to your plans.
Think about what you would genuinely enjoy doing. You do not need to fill every hour with sightseeing. Two extra nights in a comfortable hotel, a good restaurant and time to wander can be enough.
City breaks and short escapes are ideal for this kind of travel because the arrangements can be built around your existing business schedule.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Choose a destination that works for both purposes
Not every destination is equally suited to bleisure travel.
For the work part of your trip, you may need good transport links, reliable Wi-Fi and a hotel close to meetings or an airport. For the leisure part, you may prefer a walkable centre, restaurants nearby or easy access to the places you want to see.
The right destination can offer both.
Before booking, consider:
- How long will it take to travel between the airport, hotel and meetings?
- Is there enough to do once your work is finished?
- Will you feel comfortable exploring independently?
- Can you move easily around the city without hiring a car?
- Would an extra night make the trip feel more relaxed?
- Are there sensible flight options for your return journey?
A destination may look attractive on a map but become tiring if every personal activity involves a long transfer. I’ll always look at the practical details, not just the headline destination.
PLAN FOR TWO DIFFERENT NEEDS
Choose a hotel that works for work and rest
The best hotel for business travel is not always the best hotel for a mini holiday.
During the working part of your trip, you may value a desk, breakfast at a convenient time, meeting facilities and a straightforward journey to your appointments. Once work is finished, you may want somewhere with atmosphere, a good restaurant, a rooftop terrace or a location that allows you to walk to local sights.
You do not necessarily need to change hotels. In fact, staying in one place is often the easiest option. But it is worth checking whether the hotel will still feel right once the working day is over.
I’ll look at details such as:
- The hotel’s location in relation to your meetings.
- Whether the area has restaurants and things to do in the evening.
- Room facilities and space to work comfortably.
- Breakfast and check-in arrangements.
- The length and cost of transfers.
- Whether the hotel is suitable if someone joins you later.
A hotel can be perfectly functional without feeling like a holiday. The aim is to find a sensible balance.
INCLUDE SOMEONE ELSE
Add a partner or family member if it feels right
Bleisure travel does not have to mean travelling alone.
If you are already going away for work, your partner may decide to join you for the weekend. You might complete your meetings while they enjoy the destination, then spend the extra days together.
For some families, this can also be a useful way to make a short break work around a busy diary. That does require more planning, especially when considering room arrangements, flight times, airport transfers and activities for different ages.
A few practical questions are worth answering early:
- Will your partner or family travel on the same flights?
- Do they need a separate room or a particular sleeping arrangement?
- Does the hotel have enough to keep everyone comfortable?
- Is the destination suitable for a weekend with children?
- Will the extra costs be clearly separated from business expenses?
- Would a nearby beach, park or attraction make the extension more enjoyable?
If you are travelling with children, small details can make a big difference. Sensible flight times, a short transfer and the right room configuration may matter more than choosing the most fashionable hotel.
I can also help with family holiday arrangements if the leisure part grows into something more substantial than a weekend.
GET THE FLIGHTS RIGHT
Do not let a cheap flight create a tiring trip
When you are already fitting travel around work, flight times matter.
The cheapest option may involve an early departure, a long connection or a late arrival that leaves you too tired to enjoy the leisure part. If your meetings finish on Friday, a flight several hours later may give you time to leave work calmly rather than rushing straight to the airport.
For the return journey, think about what you need before going back to normal life. A Sunday evening flight may be convenient, but a Monday morning arrival could leave very little room for delays. In some cases, returning on Monday afternoon or adding one more night may make the entire trip feel more manageable.
I’ll compare the options based on the full journey rather than looking only at the fare. That includes:
- Departure airport and travel time from home.
- Flight times and connections.
- Baggage requirements.
- Airport transfers.
- How the itinerary fits around your meetings.
- Whether the return leaves enough time to rest.
You do not need to know the perfect answer before you ask. Tell me the meeting dates, the airports that work for you and how much personal time you would like. I can help you work through the rest.
USE THE CITY AS YOUR EXTENSION
Let the destination do some of the work
A successful mini holiday does not need a long list of activities.
If you are visiting a city for business, start with what is easy to reach from where you are staying. A walking route, local market, gallery, food tour or quiet café may be more enjoyable than trying to visit every major attraction.
You could:
- Keep one evening free for a relaxed meal.
- Book one experience that needs planning.
- Leave some time unstructured.
- Choose one neighbourhood to explore properly.
- Avoid moving hotels unless it genuinely improves the trip.
This is especially helpful when you have already spent several days working. Leisure should feel like a change of pace, not another schedule to manage.
For couples, a short city break can be shaped around food, culture, shopping or relaxation. You can find more inspiration on the couples and romantic escapes page.
REMOVE THE GUILT
Be clear about what is personal
The simplest way to feel comfortable about bleisure travel is to keep the arrangements transparent.
Check your employer’s business travel policy before changing your flights or adding nights. Make sure you understand which costs are covered by work and which you will pay personally. Your employer may also have rules about accompanying travellers, hotel changes, insurance or travel dates.
I can help arrange the leisure part, but your company’s policy and any relevant tax or expense guidance should always be checked with the appropriate person at work.
You should also check the travel documents and insurance requirements for everyone travelling. The terms of your booking will depend on the airline, hotel, organiser or other supplier. Simply Journeys’ booking information explains some of the important points to consider, including changes, cancellations and financial protection.
HOW I CAN HELP
Let me arrange the personal half
Business travel can already involve enough emails, deadlines and moving parts. You do not need to spend your evening comparing hundreds of hotels and flight combinations as well.
If you tell me:
- Where you are travelling for work.
- Your meeting dates.
- Your preferred departure airport.
- How many personal nights you would like.
- Whether someone else is joining you.
- Your approximate budget.
- What you would enjoy doing in the destination.
…I’ll review the options and narrow them down for you.
I can compare hotels, flights, transfers and short-break ideas through my network of travel suppliers. I’ll ask questions where something is unclear rather than guessing, and I’ll keep the leisure arrangements connected to the practical realities of your work trip.
You can send me an enquiry without having everything decided. An approximate idea is enough to begin.
Bleisure travel is not about avoiding work or turning every meeting into a holiday. It is about making thoughtful use of the journey you are already taking.
A little extra planning can give you time to enjoy the destination, see someone you love or simply have a proper break before coming home. You are allowed to make room for that.
